Press Release:
Representative Michael Speciale -
Serving Beaufort, Craven and Pamlico Counties
The NC General Assembly was shut down for about two weeks due to snow and other bad weather. The Bill submission deadline was not extended due to the weather, so we are jumping through hoops now to get our Bills into Bill Drafting before the submission deadline on March 18th.
My Legislation Highlights
H7 Amend Firearm Restoration Law
Corrects an error in a 1995 law that took away the gun rights of some citizens This bill passed the House Chamber on 3/16/2015, it is now in the Senate.
H77 School Calendar Flexibility/Certain School Systems
Allows Beaufort, Craven and Pamlico Counties to set their own school calendar
H91 Handicapped Parking Law Revisions
H93 Eliminate Tolling on Ferries
Eliminates tolling on ALL ferries
H115 Prosecutor Consent to Waive Jury Trial
NC Constitutional Amendment to add the Prosecuting Attorney as one who must approve a waiver of Trial by Jury (Currently, only the Judge need approve, and this change will help minimize occurrences of 'Judge Shopping'.
H116 Same Requirements/Officials/Early Vote & Election Day
Ensures that the criteria required for selection of elections officials that applies on Election Day also applies to early One Stop Voting.
H128 Referendum for Certain Local Debt
Allows citizens who object to large expenditures for Capital Projects in a County or Municipality to call for a Referendum.
H236 Certain Counties/Purchasing Exemption
Allows for County Sheriffs to bypass the State Bid requirements for the purchase of food for their confinement facilities by allowing local purchases.
I am here to serve you and the citizens of Beaufort, Craven, and Pamlico Counties. If you have questions, problems, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact this office and let us know. My Legislative Aide (Hazel) is knowledgeable and courteous, and we are there to help you. - Rep. Michael Speciale
Other Legislation Highlights
S 20 IRC Update/Motor Fuel Tax Changes
Froze the NC tax on fuel at .35 cents per gallon. I voted AGAINST this bill because this is a band-aid on a perpetual shortfall problem with highway funding. We need to find a permanent fix to this unstable funding formula, and until that effort is underway, I will not support any temporary solutions.
VOTED: NO
H157 Amend Environmental Laws
This is a bill that allows the Interstate Mining Commission to adopt existing Federal and NC air quality regulations if they deem them to be adequate. I voted against this bill because when we passed the hydraulic fracturing regulations last session, we promised the public that before the first permit to drill was issued that NC would have the best air and water quality regulations in the country. While we directed in last session's legislation that stringent air and water quality regulations be drawn up, this has not been accomplished. The current bill simply accepts 'adequate' as the standard, and I will not support this on your behalf.
VOTED: NO
H117 NC Competes Act
This bill allocates $45 million to a new giveaway corporate incentives program. It also extends the Aviation Fuel Sales Tax refund which was scheduled to expire this year. I did not vote for this bill.
VOTED: NO
Committees Status
Homeland Security, Military, and Veterans Affairs Chairman
Regulatory Reform Vice Chairman
Transportation Vice Chairman
Appropriations Member
Appropriations, Justice and Public Safety Member
Elections Member
Judiciary III Member
Please reply to Michael.Speciale@ncleg.net with Questions or Concerns
NC House of Representatives
1008 Legislative Building
16 W. Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
(919) 733-5853